Listen: On this episode of 9Honey's parenting podcast Honey Mums, hosts Kel and Mel talk about bullying in schools:

"I don't like that they do it to me and I for sure don't like that they do it to other people because it's not okay," he says, before adding that people who are different, "don't need to be criticised about it".

"It's not their fault."

When sharing the video of her son on the Facebook page 'Love What Matters', his mum wrote, "Keaton asked to do this AFTER he had me pick him up AGAIN because he was afraid to go to lunch.

"My kids are by no stretch perfect, and at home, he's as all boy as they come, but by all accounts he's good at school.

"Talk to your kids. I've even had friends of mine tell me their kids were only nice to him to get him to mess with people. We all know how it feels to want to belong, but only a select few know how it really feels not to belong anywhere."

Keaton (centre) is too scared to go to lunch at school due to bullying. Image: Facebook

The video, which received thousands of comments of support and love, soon drew the attention of sporting stars in the US.

Delanie Walker from the Tennassee Titans NFL team reached out to Keaton after watching the video, sending his own plea about bullying, tweeting that it is time everyone realised "how serious it is in our school system."

Lakyn Jones from the UFC also sent Keaton a video via Twitter, saying, "You have friends here at the UFC", adding #StandWithKeaton.

Actors Chris Evans and Hailee Steinfeld even invited the student to attend the premiere of their latest films.

“Stay strong, Keaton. Don’t let them make you turn cold. I promise it gets better," Evans, who plays Marvel's Captain America, wrote on Twitter.

"While those punks at your school are deciding what kind of people they want to be in this world, how would you and your mom like to come to the Avengers premiere in LA next year?”

Image: Twitter

While the comments and celebrity shows of support will go some way to help Keaton feel a little better, the reality is he still has to turn up to school every day and feel the dread that comes with knowing he'll have to see his bullies again that day.

The bullying may even get worse as a result of all the attention Keaton has garnered - that is unless Keaton's school, alarmed to discover how much one of their students is suffering, steps in to stop the bullying.

The sad fact is that incidents of bullying are rarely noticed by teachers and school staff. They simply aren't present when they occur. Bullies are clever that way.

When bullies called my son Giovanni who has autism a "retard", they muttered it in the few seconds after one of the two teachers on duty (in a school of hundreds) had walked away.

My son, who smiles when he is uncomfortable, simply looked like another happy kid - meanwhile, he was dying inside.

It will take nothing less than a fundamental paradigm shift for schools to properly tackle bullying.

It's a shift that hasn't happened yet, despite the overwhelming number of children around the world who have reportedly taken their own lives or attempted to, as a result of relentless bullying.

Schools say they are 'zero tolerance', but those are just words.

Teachers still believe their job is to teach in the classroom only, and supervise the rest of the time, but I vehemently disagree.

Their job is to teach, at all times, even before and after school and during recess and lunch.

Image: Twitter

The handful of teachers on duty during these times have one set of eyes and ears each, and while each and every one of them would be devastated to see a child being bullied, they simply don't see it. How can they?

Parents who organise meetings with schools to address the issue are often left feeling like they are overreacting, or their kids are 'too sensitive'.

What's wrong with being too sensitive? To me, sensitivity is a virtue. Please don't toughen that child up.

When you force hundreds of children to spend majority of the year together, bullying is inevitable - it's just the nature of children. They notice difference, they are not comfortable with difference, and so they lash out against it. Or they were just born cruel.

Regardless of why the bullying occurs, the solution seems simple to me.

Ensure there is an adequate number of teachers on duty during recess and lunch. Make it their job to monitor the behaviour of students.

Image: Twitter

Organise ongoing training for staff and educational sessions for students.

Keep it top of mind, and pay attention.

Where are the teachers when Keaton is being called names? Where are they when he has milk tipped over his head and food shoved down his back?

Parents need to know their children will be kept physically and mentally safe at school. We need to trust they'll be okay.

The only way that is going to happen, for all children, is for schools to truly acknowledge bullying as an ongoing problem, take responsibility for it and then take action. For the sake of Keaton and every other child like him.

If you know someone suffering bullying at school urge them to contact Kid's Helpline on 1800 55 1800.